UKRAINE 2019 UNHCR PARTICIPATRY ASSESSMENT
participants did not know about the availability of a hotline for IDPs. However, the community
representatives with whom UNHCR works with are aware of the organization’s mandate and know the
focal points’ contacts, the hotline number and the email address. Representatives of the community
also know the principles of Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and know how and where to
complain in the event when intervention of the management or IGO would be required. This was
achieved owing to separate training sessions that UNHCR held for the IDP community in 2017. IDPs
stressed the importance of transparency within a feedback system to reduce distrust that may exist
towards UNHCR. Online surveys and opinion polls on social networking platforms encourage
transparency.
Recommendations
To the Government of Ukraine
Allow IDPs to choose a bank for receiving pensions, not only through Oschadbank.
Review norms that declare individuals with residence registration in Crimea as non-residents,
thus unblocking their access to banking services.
Raise awareness regarding prohibition of discrimination based on the fact of displacement,
including with universities, banks, and landlords.
Facilitate dialogue between the host population, including former combatants, and IDP
communities.
Promote a culture of tolerance in order to prevent attacks upon displaced national minorities
and other groups, as well as respond to such incidents with appropriate law enforcement
measures.
Ensure timely and effective dissemination of information regarding legislative and procedural
changes relevant to IDPs (crossing of the line of contact to/from NGCA and the administrative
border with Crimea; access to social benefits and pensions; possibilities to access housing
etc.).
Ensure that IDP pensioners are treated equally with other citizens of Ukraine by de-linking
access to pensions from IDP registration.
Adopt a normative framework that would unblock payment of arrears to IDP pensioners as
per respective court decisions.
Include IDPs into local (city, rayon, oblast) social, economic, cultural and health related
programs in order to ensure that they have access to respective services on an equal basis
with host communities.
Increase the state budget allocation for the “Affordable housing” program.
Diversify possibilities for procuring housing by introducing programs involving private,
international and state (local and central) funds. This could include leasing, rent-to-own, rural
housing programs, establishing cooperative housing for local communities and IDPs, etc.
Expand social housing by identifying respective housing premises and involving finances
from different sources to ensure that social housing is suitable for IDPs in vulnerable
situations, such as persons with disabilities.
With regard to collective centers, search for alternative solutions in order to prevent cases of
forced eviction.
Support establishment and development of small and medium-scale business by IDPs.
To UNHCR, international organizations and NGOs
Strengthen capacity of the state authorities of Ukraine, including on local level for them to
be able to fulfil the above recommendations.
Support capacity of IDP-run NGOs and initiative groups to ensure that they are sustainable
and are able to advocate for their inclusion, integration and protection themselves.
Raise awareness of the population, including IDPs, on their rights, promoting culture of
dialogue, tolerance, and respect for human dignity and rights.
Share success stories of individual IDP communities’ activities through different UNHCR
channels.
Contribute to elaboration of housing solutions for IDPs, including through establishment of
special funds to finance selected solutions.
Implement programs that would promote sustainable employment or starting a small
business.
Share the findings of this participatory assessment with the central authorities, ministries,
members of parliament, UN Agencies, embassies, international organizations and IDP
communities.
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